Neighbors hope to shut down plant that burned

June 25, 2007|WSBT-TV Report

As firefighters returned Monday morning to douse smoldering debris, neighbors living near the site of a massive plant fire are working to shut down the VIM Recycling Center and have it moved. Earlier this month, a fire and explosion rocked the VIM Plant in Elkhart County. One worker was killed and another injured in the fire that burned for three days. It's been 10 days since James and Brandy Trosper have been in their house. It sits right next to the VIM Recycling Center that burned earlier this month. Smoke and soot from the fire is inside and out, making the home uninhabitable. It will be another two weeks before a cleaning company makes it livable again for them and their two daughters. "Well, it's frustrating waiting and having two kids that cannot be in their own room," said Brandy Trosper. "It just holds us all off on our every day life that we've been used to." She, her husband, James, and neighbors started a petition drive. They want the firm shut down and moved elsewhere. A petition with 500 names was sent to Gov. Mitch Daniels and Congressman Joe Donnelly. "And we're not really even going around with them, people are coming to us," explained James Trosper. "Hopefully something will be done that they will actually listen to us. And hopefully when it's all done with, he can't rebuild out here." Neighbors who are living here and working on the petition drive say they are not against the business, only that they would like to see it moved elsewhere and out of their neighborhood. "We don't need this in this area. Put it out in the country to where it's not going to affect nobody," Gerald Hart told WSBT News. "The neighborhood don't want to put him out of business, they just want him to go somewhere, where it's safe for everybody." Neighbors plan a community meeting to talk about the plant next month. Check for video with this story at .